Tadoba: Tigers, Teak & Turnarounds
“You haven’t seen a tiger in the wild yet?” said the lady, right as we were finishing breakfast at Kabini. That was 2013, so forgive me if the details are a bit seasoned. Soon after of we drove (literally) to Tadoba, three eager hopefuls ready for stripes and spectacle.
The forest rolled out its carpet: the very next day we sighted the Pandarpauni female, emerging blood-stained and regal from a bamboo grove (the kill was behind the grove. Spellbinding, a tad terrifying, and totally unforgettable—the moment I became a lifelong tiger devotee. Back then, Tadoba was a blockbuster—headlined by the Telia sisters (Lara, Sonam, Geeta, Mona), their iconic mother Madhuri, and the formidable Wagdoh. Hours slipped by while we watched these celebrity cats romp at lakesides, totally indifferent to their audience. Time flew… many tigers; several majestic creations I have seen across the world and captured thru my lenses; tigers continue to be my favorite, the sheer grace, stealth and the power. Wow.
Despite having visited Tadoba a few times, Strangely, Tadoba never clinched the title of ‘my favorite forest.” Maybe it was the “wild west” energy—guides jostling, daily shouting matches for tiger glimpses, drivers staging their own race to the next sighting. Not my cup of chai.
Fast forward to today, two faces (S & A) keen on tiger safaris. Bandhavgarh seemed perfect—except flight connections from Kolkata aren’t very functional. Tadoba then it was, by default.
Enter N, lodge manager at S resort, trip coordinator & logistic wizard par excellence. N & R thank you for everything including the patience in dealing with us Our first safari was at Navegaon Core direct from Nagpur Airport. Rolls at the gate (edible, not rotary), and $$, a naturalist with a intriguing name. October mid-month, Tadoba in full green garb, less touristy treadmill, more enchanted woodland.
First minutes in, $$ pointed out a sloth bear with cub. If omens have any sense, this was a good one. The universe teased us with near-misses until Babli and her absurdly tiny two-month-old cubs emerged— Bad light, No photos, but plenty of memories.
Kolara core safari featured a new ritual: mobile phones locked away in a soft-lined metal box, gate staff wielding keys. In exchange, chilled glass water bottles that would’ve made spa owners envious. Moving along with $$ on the vigil we chanced upon Yuvraj the dominant male of the area on the side of the road …No maramari,(no fighting) for sightings no shouting, every one took their turn and Yuvraj obliged us with his majestic demeanor. What an attitude… With $$’s eagle eyes, we saw Choti Tara’s sub-adult cub in a picture-perfect meadow; Yes sir with tall Teak trees too and an open background devoid of gypsies in the background, so typical of Tadoba. Must say a very well- behaved set of drivers & guides, they made space on their own sensing the tigress wanted to cross. We also came across a pack of seven wild dogs resembling canine yogis at total peace with themselves.
The evening featured much the same—civility, silence, and Babli sans cubs cooling off leisurely for a good 20 mins. Of course, minus the human melee.
Next day the Belara buffer & Alizanza buffer—No luck, but $$ and his ability to spin tales about birds, beasts, and bizarre animal etiquettes & trivia helped salvage an otherwise pothole-riddled drive.
Last day, Kolara buffer. As we entered got information about Junabai ‘s male cub sighting. No luck but what impressed me was the logical behavior of the guides & drivers of the different jeeps they worked in coordinated manner. As we were heading for breakfast out guide had a premonition to check out another area. What we saw was
mind blowing a single leopard yes an undisturbed leopard in Tadoba walking head-on towards our only jeep. The leopard served up 20 minutes of solo modelling, The leopard wasn’t in any hurry and neither were we. Photographs from all angles till finally the leopard got bored of showing off and walked into the forest… We tried looking for it but it wasn’t to happen.
Then, almost on cue: breakfast interrupted, our driver whispers—Tiger! breakfast forgotten we rushed as Junabai’s sub-adult cub emerged, the grand finale to a symphony of almost and wows.
Did S & A enjoy the whirlwind? Hopefully as much as we did. What struck me most was Tadoba’s evolution—clean trails, guides and drivers now display actual manners, and wildlife sightings feel earned rather than elbowed. There are exceptions, of course—this is India, after all—but overall, Tadoba’s truly grown into itself.
Sometimes, the wildest discovery isn’t a new animal, but seeing an old forest find its charm.
PS: Am serious our naturalists name was Dollar G. A great guy
That memory never faded. The forests kept calling, even as studies, work, and family filled my days.
